By Tom Grace
COOPERSTOWN _ At today's 10 a.m. meeting, the Otsego County Board of Representatives will discuss appointing a new budget officer to help prepare the 2010 county budget.
Currently, that officer is Treasurer Myrna Thayne, who could not be reached by phone for comment Tuesday.
In April, Thayne, in the last year of a four-year term, was not endorsed for re-election by the county's Republican Committee. By a close vote, the GOP backed Edward Keator of West Oneonta, then a county accountant. However, Thayne has not ruled out challenging Keator in a Republican primary.
County Board Chairman James Powers, R-Butternuts, said Tuesday that he wants a new budget officer in place soon.
``We had a disastrous budget three years ago, and we've had two votes of no-confidence since then,'' Powers said. ``We can't afford to do that again this year.''
Three years ago, an oversized tax increase was inadvertently passed, leading to a county-issued refund. That was the last budget proposal formally approved by the county board; the last two budgets have been enacted by default under state deadlines.
When Powers proposed the budget officer change last week to members of the county's Administration Committee, one member objected _ Rep. Betty Anne Schwerd, R-Burlington.
On Tuesday, Schwerd said Powers' initiative is ``purely political. That's all there is to it.''
Schwerd said she voted for budgets that Thayne had overseen because the county board was allowed to shape the spending plans.
``Myrna was very open with us, so if board members voted against the budget, they voted against their own work,'' she said.
Rep. James Johnson, R-Otsego, the Administration Committee chairman, said he wanted to hear more details about hiring a separate budget officer before making up his mind.
``I'd want to know who this person reports to, and how much it will cost the county,'' he said.
Schwerd said the part-time position would cost the county about $27,000 a year, including fringe benefits, and that it is money taxpayers cannot afford.
She also said there may be legal impediments to appointing a budget officer who is neither the treasurer nor an officer of the county board.
County Attorney James Konstanty said Tuesday that he was researching laws that pertain to budget officers in preparation for today's meeting.
Former county board Chairman Donald Lindberg, R-Worcester, noted Tuesday that about three years ago, he had proposed that the county hire a separate budget officer.
``I think we're facing a very tough budget this year, and we'd better do everything right,'' Lindberg said.
Having a separate budget officer might pay dividends beyond preparing the budget, he said.
``When department heads want to buy things, they usually say the money is in the budget," he said, "but it would be nice if we could check with a budget officer and know for sure.''
